Bill Weasley's Great Adventure
by know-it-all-bookworm
Summary: Completely AU. This is the tale of how Bill Weasley came to know Athena, and how he met Raven. Involves a time-turner, two bottles of Firewhiskey, a gorgeous brunette, a match, a rival from school days, a curse, and a giant vat of honey.
1. Chapter 1

**Bill Weasley's Great Adventure**

Bill Weasley considered himself to be an ordinary man, with an ordinary life…for a wizard that is.

He had a job with Gringotts as a Curse-breaker for their Egyptian branch. His job was a cross between an archeologist and a treasure seeker. So, perhaps he wasn't as normal as he thought. In fact, he was highly sought after in his field. Bill was the Indiana Jones of the Magical world, well, minus the whip and hat but with a ponytail and fang earring.

He enjoyed an excellent paycheck for his expertise, but his parents refused to accept a single Knut assistance, though Merlin knew they needed it. Therefore, as Gringotts paid his living expenses, and he didn't spend very much out of habit from never having money before, he had a veritable fortune in his vault.

Bill also had a habit of carrying one hundred Galleons with him in a mokeskin pouch. This was in case of an emergency, and little did he know, that he was going to have the biggest emergency of his life soon.

His school days had been mostly peaceful. He was a Chaser on the Gryffidor Quidditch team for four years, was a Prefect for two years, and Head Boy during his last year.

He was quite handsome as well. He was tall and lean, but very muscular. His skin was tanned from spending so much time in the sun, and you couldn't tell the he had ever had freckles. His hair was a light shade of red, bleached by the sun. It had originally been tomato red. His blue eyes sparkled like the ocean on a clear summer day.

Bill was also very popular. Women found his looks very appealing, and his bank vault made him a target for gold-diggers. His friends teased him often over this, as he always ignored those women. They thought that he should use them as one night stands, but Bill wanted something lasting.

His best friend was Ari, who was also his tattoo artist. Ari had given Bill both his ankh tattoo and one of a Gryphon launching itself into flight on his back.

Ari, who was Jewish, often teased Bill, calling him the penultimate Gryffindor, for always being the first to leap into dangerous situations.

This was true enough. Bill thrived on the adrenalin rush he got from his job. In fact, he often participated in Egyptian dueling competition, and he nearly always won.

Bill's other best friend was his younger brother, Charlie. The two men took turns visiting each other every month or so, though they'd never admit it to their mother, who often complained that neither of them visited home often enough.

Bill's only real complaint in life was the absence of a woman to love. He wanted what his parents had, a true and lasting love. He wanted a family.

The problem was that he was old-fashioned and didn't care for women who flirted boldly with him. He also didn't want someone who was searching for a husband, the kind of person who would marry any man who showed interest.

He also wanted someone with intelligence, someone who could tell him when he was wrong and wouldn't let him get away with anything.

Ari constantly told him that he was crazy for wanting a woman like that. He said that type of woman would be too bossy.

Bill disagreed. His mother was like that, and his father was still the head of their household though it might not have seemed that way. Bill knew that his mother was a more forceful personality than his father, but Arthur Weasley was not afraid to step in and contradict his wife when necessary. It had happened more than once. Once was when Bill decided to become a Curse-breaker and move to Egypt, and another time was with Charlie for similar reasons.

Besides, Bill himself was no pushover; he wanted a woman who could hold her own with him. A sparring partner, if you will.

This is the tale of how Bill came to meet the woman of his dreams, and how they overcame the many obstacles that their relationship created.


	2. Chapter 2

Bill was going to a bachelor party for his co-worker Brendan. Brendan was engaged to marry a tall blonde whose only interest was in the latest designer fashions. Bill had tried to warn his friend early in the couple's relationship, but he didn't want to hear it. So Bill resolved to be the best friend he could be, and eventually when Brendan realized his mistake, Bill would be there to help him pack his bags…and take him out for some Firewhiskey.

Speaking of Firewhiskey, Bill was carrying some in a paper sack as he entered the large and opulent hotel. He walked directly toward the elevator not bothering to look around. If he had, he would have noticed his arch-rival from school days glaring at him.

Just before he made it to the elevator, Evan Macnair cast a curse toward him. But Bill's finely honed instincts served him well, he spun and the curse hit the bottle of Firewhiskey instead of his back. The bottle shattered, and covered the floor in liquid.

Just then, a friend of Macnair's, standing not far away, threw a lit match onto the liquid. Fortunately for Bill, Macnair's friend was an idiot. Firewhiskey was supposed to be set on fire in the shot glasses. The fire was not hot, merely warm. If Macnair's friend had thrown water on the Firewhiskey it would have started a hot fire.

Unfortunately, that did not stop Evan from sending another curse at Bill. This time it shattered the Time Turner that Bill had been using for work.

No one had ever tested what Time Turner sand would do when mixed with lit Firewhiskey. If they had, they would have known that it would transport anything in it to the last place they had been thinking of, and to the very beginning of its existence.

Bill was sent back one thousand years.


	3. Chapter 3

_Oh, shit! _Bill thought as he fell through time and space only to land _SPLAT! _In a giant vat full of honey in a large stone room of an ancient castle that wasn't so ancient right now.

As Bill began to climb out of the vat, a very feminine scream came from the doorway.

"Who are you?" the woman said, entering the room, her wand pointed at the honey covered man.

Bill's eyes widened as he stared at the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She had long, dark brown hair that hung in loose waves down her back. Her eyes were a very dark blue, and her skin was pale and creamy looking. She wore a long gown that matched her eyes and was belted low on her hips with a wide bronze belt that looked like a flowered vine.

"My name is Bill Weasley, and I'm not entirely sure how I got here. I was in Egypt, but judging from the temperature, and the style gown you're wearing, I'm not there anymore," he explained, holding up his hands in a non-threatening manner.

"That is an accurate assumption. You are in Scotland," she replied. "Expecto Patronum!" she cried, causing a large glowing white eagle to fly out of her wand. "Tell the others to come to the kitchens immediately," she told the bird, which soared out the door.

"Get out of the vat, but make no sudden moves," she warned.

Bill nodded in response and slowly climbed out. "Would you please remove the honey?" he asked, nodding in the direction of her wand.

"Scourgify," she said, flicking her wand at him.

Instantly, he was clean again.

"What is the matter Rowena?" two men said together as they ran into the room, followed by a slightly plump blonde woman.

"We have company," Rowena said, nodding at Bill who had paled.

"What year is it?" he asked in a slightly high-pitched voice.

"It is spring in the year 995 AD," the elder of the two men said, arching a brow at the question.

Bill paled even further if it was possible. "I am from the year 1995," he said.

"Do not be ridiculous," Rowena scoffed. "Time travel is impossible!"

"Not in 1995 it isn't, though I've never heard of anyone travelling back more than a few days at a time," Bill said.

"Prove that what you say is true," the younger man said.

"If she's Rowena Ravenclaw then the other lady must be Helga Hufflepuff, and you two men must be Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin. That would mean that this is Hogwarts Castle, and you are right now preparing to open the school in the fall of this year. Also, Slytherin is a Parselmouth, and is Gryffindor's best friend."

"Everyone in the area knows of the school, and Salazar and Godric's friendship," Rowena said, still distrustful.

Salazar, the older of the two men, had paled however. "I have told no one of my gift," he said. "No one, that is, but Godric."

"I have told no one," Godric confirmed. "How do you know this?"

"It is common knowledge in my time. I believe that it became known around the time of…" Bill trailed off, realizing what he was about to say.

"The time of what?" Helga asked.

"I cannot answer that," he said, "and please do not insist that I do so. I cannot risk changing the timeline."

Salazar eyed him. "I cannot say how I know this, but I trust him," he turned to the others. "We should allow him to stay here until the Fates decide to send him back to his own time."

Rowena reluctantly lowered her wand.

"Thank you," Bill said, surprised by Salazar's hospitality.

"Come on then," Helga said, smiling kindly. "I'll show you to your room while you're here. Now, tell me, would you be interested in teaching a class here this fall if you are still in this time."

"I-I would, but what would you want me to teach?" he asked.

"Are you any good at interpreting Runes?" Salazar asked, clapping a hand on Bill's back.

"Top of my class when I was a student here," Bill replied.

"Excellent," Godric said, "we haven't been able to find anyone for that position yet."

Rowena followed behind the others, frowning. _I do not trust him. He is too charming, and men like that are always up to something._


	4. Chapter 4

Bill shuffled through the parchments on his desk, searching for the one with his class list for the seventh years. He wanted to memorize the names of all of his students before school began in two weeks.

Outside his window, he could hear the clanging of steel as Godric and Salazar sparred using their broadswords. It was a sound that had only recently begun to make Bill feel at home. It was quite odd to the red haired man as he'd never been around the sounds of sword fighting before, but now it just felt right.

Bill also felt that way about the smell of Helga's pastries, and even Rowena's perfume. It was a potion that the young Foundress had created herself, and it smelled like cinnamon and vanilla with a hint of something more. Truth be told, that scent was the most addicting one ever in Bill's opinion.

Unfortunately, Rowena didn't like Bill much. Actually, that was an understatement, as she _loathed _him.

Bill sighed as he read through the list of names that he'd finally found in one of the drawers. One name stood out boldly to him, _Helena Ravenclaw_.

Being the curious type of person, Bill went in search of Rowena, and found her in the armory. "Lady Ravenclaw?" he said, polite as always. He may have been on a first name basis with the other three Founders but he knew better than to think she would appreciate the same level of familiarity.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," she replied, looking up from the dagger she was sharpening.

"I noticed that there's a Helena Ravenclaw on my seventh year class list. Is she your sister?" he asked.

Rowena frowned. "She is my younger sister, yes." Her eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about laying a hand on her," she snapped.

Bill glared in response. "I wouldn't dream of it! She's the same age as my younger brothers, and children that age _don't _attract me!"

Rowena tossed her hair and snapped, "Fine!"

"Fine!" Bill snapped back as he started to walk away.

"Fine!" she snapped again, wanting to have the last word.

A "Fine!" echoed back down the corridor to her. She huffed angrily and glared at the door, just as Helga walked through it.

"Are you mad at Bill again?" Helga asked, barely holding in her amusement at the pair's antics.

"He's such a – a – well, I don't know what he is, but it's bad!" Rowena huffed.

Helga just shook her head. "I think that you're just upset because, despite your claims to the contrary, you like him," she said.

"I most certainly do _not_!" she retorted.

"Fine, fine… but you _do want _to like him," Helga said, checking how sharp her arrows were. "But you don't trust any men, at least not until they've proven themselves to you. I mean, you only trusted Godric and Salazar after they rescued Helena from those bandits." She turned from the rack of weapons.

Rowena glared at her best friend.

"Row," Helga said, "Come sit with me." She sat on a bench and patted the empty space beside her.

"Alright," Rowena said, moving to the indicated spot.

"You're so busy trying to protect yourself from being hurt again, that you won't trust people," Helga said, wrapping her arms around the taller, more slender brunette.

Rowena sniffed as her eyes welled with tears, and leaned into her friend's embrace.

"Sweetie, you have to let go of the past, or you won't have a future," Helga said. "Bill Weasley is a good man, and despite your prickliness towards him, he seems to quite admire you."

"_Why_?" Rowena asked in confusion. "I've done everything I can to push him away!"

Helga smiled and rubbed her friend's arm. "I believe that he finds your stubbornness attractive. He seems to be the type of man who'd find a strong woman appealing."

"You can't be serious!" Rowena snapped. "The whole reason I act the way I do is because all men ever want are women who are meek and soft-spoken, not brash and bold!"

Helga smiled. "Perhaps," she said, smirking a little, "Men in the future prefer their women to be strong. I think Bill quite enjoys the challenge you present him."

Rowena turned to stare at her friend. "Challenge?"

"Mhmm," Helga said. "I heard him telling Salazar, during one of his weaponry lessons, that nothing worth having is easy to get. And you, my dear friend, are perhaps the biggest challenge Bill will ever face."

Rowena laughed softly. "I do want to like him. He's so… _likeable_. That doesn't make any sense does it? _**I **_don't make sense!"

Helga laughed as well. "I think, Rowena, that you are in grave danger of falling in love with Bill Weasley," she said.

The brunette looked a bit dreamy-eyed. "Perhaps he is safe," Rowena said.

"No, Rowena, he isn't, and _that _is precisely what intrigues you," Helga said. "We women are often attracted to men with the very attributes that we swear we don't care for."

"Oh," Rowena said. "That does explain why you worry so whenever Salazar starts another fight with Lord Malfoy. Remember the last time you patched Sal up from one of their fights. You must have lectured him all day, but after he was asleep, I caught you caressing his face."

"You saw that?" Helga said in shock, her eyes wide.

"Oh, yes," Rowena said. "I think it's very sweet. Do you know why Salazar duels Lord Malfoy so often?"

"No," the blonde replied.

"It is because Lord Malfoy insults your heritage. Salazar will tolerate any insult toward himself, but when someone insults, or worse, threatens you, Salazar tends to go into a blind rage," Rowena explained.

Helga turned pink. "What sort of insults?" she asked softly.

Rowena's eyes flashed in anger as she said, "The last time was because Lord Malfoy referred to you as Salazar's Mudblood whore."

Helga gasped in shock. "How could a nobleman speak so? I had thought better of him."

Rowena shook her head. "Have you not heard the saying, 'Fair speech may hide a foul heart'?"

"True enough," Helga agreed. "Now, shall we not go and watch Bill get disarmed again?" she asked, smiling. Salazar and Godric often teased Bill for getting disarmed while sparring whenever Rowena was watching but never anytime else.

The two ladies exited the castle, arms wrapped around each other's waists. The men had not yet noticed their presence, and Rowena took that time to admire Bill's form.

He was quite lean and muscular, though not bulky. His long red hair was tied at the nape of his neck, and his earring swung as he fought both Salazar and Godric at the same time. He was glistening with sweat from holding the broadsword aloft, and from the strength it took to fend off attacks from both men at once. His white shirt clung to his damp chest, revealing the ridged plains of his stomach, and the stylish tight pants showed that he was in excellent shape overall. The pants were beige and he wore a pair of black knee-high boots as well. His golden tan had not diminished despite have spent the past three months in Scotland as opposed to the desert. Rowena had often admired Bill's blue eyes, most especially when they were shooting sparks at her in annoyance or frustration. Right now she noticed that they were sparkling with pleasure, and she realized that they were no less attractive like that.

Helga, on the other hand, gazed fondly at Salazar.

He had long black hair, held back on the top and sides in a thick braid that lay across the rest of his hair, which hung loose. His emerald eyes sparkled in pleasure at the challenge his new friend gave him. His black shirt which was usually loose and flowing on his torso now clung tightly from his exercise. His strong jaw was clenched tight, as it often was when he fought. He was very tall, even more so that Bill, and he was broad shouldered enough to seem larger than he really was. Salazar always dressed in black or rarely dark green. It made him look mysterious. And despite Helga's fondness for fairness, she did so admire his cunning, even as it exasperated her to no end.

Out of the corner of her eye, Helga noticed the young girl they had hired to make school robes for the students. If she was not mistaken, the newly eighteen year old girl was staring at Godric.

Godric's hair was long, black and usually quite messy, though just now he had it tightly braided. His eyes were hazel and changed from green to brown depending on his mood. He wore red clothes today. His shirt was a bright crimson color, and his pants were quite dark. He was shorter than the other two men, but was not short by any means. He was broad shouldered and well muscled; in fact, he had once wrestled an adolescent dragon and won.

The young girl was most definitely eying the fourth Founder, and the more Helga thought about it, the more she hoped Godric would notice the young girl.

At that precise moment, Bill noticed Rowena and rather than being disarmed, he began to fight harder than ever.

_Perhaps Rowena's comments had hurt him more than he let on_, Helga thought as Bill disarmed Salazar then Godric in two easy flicks of his sword.

* * *

**Two hidden movie references, or perhaps not so hidden. Remember, they are worth 10 points each.**

**20 Points: In the movie "Dragonheart", who was the voice of the dragon?**


	5. Chapter 5

**_WARNING: _Corporal Punishment**

* * *

Bill sat at the Head Table, watching the students getting Sorted. It was Hogwarts first ever Sorting Ceremony, and Godric's hat was in the limelight.

It was nowhere near as tatty as it would be in one thousand years. Right now it was a soft gray hat with no stains. The hat of the future would be brownish-gray from years of use. Salazar had jokingly named the hat Scotty because the school was in Scotland, but the name had stuck.

"Ravenclaw, Helena," Helga called out.

Bill had no doubt of what house the girl would be in. That was his first mistake.

"Slytherin!" the hat yelled, causing Bill's eyes to widen. Rowena and Salazar exchanged looks that led Bill to believe that this was unexpected for them, as well.

Helena calmly stood and walked to the table on the far right side of the room, where she joined her classmates.

Several days later, Bill had his first class of seventh year students, one of which was Helena. He had felt rather uncomfortable over the last few days with the amount of attention the girl was giving him.

He, of course, knew he was attractive. How could he not, with the number of women who threw themselves at him in the future, but he hadn't experienced this level of… well… stalker-like behavior from anyone before.

At the end of the class, Helena lingered, packing her bag.

"Did you have a question, Miss Ravenclaw?" Bill asked, sitting down at his desk to go over the placement tests he had given the class.

"Please, call me Helena," the girl replied.

Bill looked up, realizing that her voice had come from someplace a lot closer to him than she had been before. She was standing right in front of his desk. In the back of his mind, he noted that while she looked a great deal like Rowena, she couldn't be more different.

"Miss Ravenclaw, you are my student, and it would be inappropriate for me to call you by your first name. Now, did you have a question?" Bill asked again, sighing slightly.

"No, sir," she replied, still hovering in front of his desk.

"Then I believe you have another class to get to," he replied. "Potions with Professor Slytherin perhaps?"

"Of course, sir," Helena replied, blushing.

Bill only had marked one more question wrong when Rowena entered the room.

"Lady Ravenclaw," he said, smiling stiffly at the foundress. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he said, voice sounding anything but pleased. Ever since the fight they'd had in the armory, Bill had been tense around Rowena, and only spoke to her when necessary.

"Is there some reason why my sister was later leaving this classroom than the rest of her year?" Rowena asked, arms folded over her chest.

Bill rubbed his temples with his index fingers, wondering what else was going to go wrong today. "She stayed to ask me to call her by her first name. I told her no, because that would be inappropriate," he said.

"Hmm," was all Rowena responded with. She quickly left the room.

- - -

That day was just the start of the worst three and a half months of Bill's life. It seemed that Helena was always there, around every corner, waiting on her opportunity to pounce. Bill was beginning to get more and more desperate, and so began spending most of his time in his apartments.

It would have been quite amusing if anyone had seen the man one afternoon in early December, pressed flat against a wall as he peered carefully around the corner. Of course, no one did see him as he was Disillusioned.

He crept along the wall, moving slowly so the slight distortion common with the Disillusionment Charm wouldn't be as noticeable. He was passing the door of an unused classroom when he heard something drop with a thud.

"You idiot!" a voice hissed from behind the door. "Be more careful! The last thing we need is for a teacher to catch us brewing a Class Five illegal potion!"

Bill crouched down to look through the keyhole and was appalled by what he was seeing. It was Helena with a fellow Slytherin, Montague Prince. He was a skinny fellow with sallow skin and hair that was greasy from Potion fumes. According to Salazar, Montague had the abilities to be a first-class Potions Master.

Bill thought quickly. Rowena would never believe him without proof, and Salazar needed to identify the potion. "Expecto Patronum," Bill whispered, thinking of four patroni instead of one. The four eagles that soared out of his wand were hazier than normal, but would still work. They soared away, one to each founder, as Bill continued spying on the odd duo, charming the door so the students wouldn't hear the founders arriving.

Salazar and Helga both entered the corridor from the end farthest from Bill. They both were looking disheveled, as though they had been out flying, their hair messy.

"Been busy?" Bill asked, dispelling his charm.

Helga turned pink, and Salazar merely smirked. "What is going on?" he asked Bill, staring at the door, no doubt evaluating the magical aura emanating from it to determine what charms the curse breaker had cast. Salazar could 'see' magic in a way that no one else could. It was what made him such an excellent Potions Master and Spell Master. A Spell Master being someone who is capable of creating new spells and rituals. Spell Masters were very rare, only one in eight-hundred people had the ability to become one, and only an average of two people in any fifty year period did so.

"Silencing Charms and Alarm Wards, hmm," Salazar said, as Godric entered the corridor. Rowena entered the end closest to Helga and Salazar a moment later.

"What is going on Mr. Weasley?" Rowena asked.

Bill gazed at her sadly. "You aren't going to like this. Godric, can you cast that I-see-but-you-don't spell on the door?"

"Of course," Godric replied. He ran his wand around the edges of the door, chanting as he did so, before tapping the door once in the center. The door became invisible to the teachers, though it would remain a closed door to the eyes of the two students.

Helena was still explaining to the love-struck Montague what she was intending to use the potion for. "Just one strand of my hair," she said, "and Professor Weasley will forget all about my _perfect sister_!" she spat the last two words. "I look enough like her that it will hardly surprise anyone when he turns to me, the main difference between her and I being that I actually show my interest in him instead of hiding it by bickering with him all the time."

"B-but, Helena," Montague said. "Are you sure you want to be with him?"

"Who are you – my mother? I'm going to marry him. Do you know how much money he has? He's nearly as wealthy as Lord Malfoy, and twice as handsome," she said, looking dreamy eyed.

Montague looked slightly ill, but was so besotted with Helena that he would and did brew Amortentia for her to use on a professor.

"Amortentia is going to get me exactly what I want," Helena said smugly.

"Or not," came from the door which now stood open. Rowena stood framed in the doorway, the disapproving gazes of the other three founders and Bill all focused on Helena.

"Evanesco!" Salazar said, waving his wand at the potion, vanishing it. "I have never been more disgusted in my life. To think that two of _my _students should stoop so low! Where is your honor? Montague," he snapped at the boy. "You will return to your common room. I will deal with you later," he hissed, sounding eerily like a snake.

Montague scurried past the professors like a frightened mouse, though his face resembled nothing so much as a cat's just before the animal would slink off in embarrassment.

"She is your sister, Rowena, I defer to you," Salazar said.

Rowena stared at Helena, disappointment, sadness and anger in her gaze. "You may give her whatever punishment you deem appropriate, then Bill shall give her his punishment, as it was him that she intended to dose. I shall punish her last. What she intended to do was against the law, and it is only because she is my sister that I won't turn her in to the Ministry of Magic," Rowena said.

"Very well," Salazar said. "For my punishment, you shall lose two hundred points, and have detention every other night for the rest of this school year, as it seems we cannot trust you to stay out of mischief. Your first detention is tomorrow night at precisely seven o'clock, and when you arrive, you will give me a five foot essay on why Amortentia is illegal and what the punishment for its use is."

Helena gulped, it was only December so she'd be spending half the year in detention.

"Might I also suggest the cessation of her Hogsmeade visits as well," Helga said.

"Done," Salazar said, smiling down at the blonde witch, who stood at his elbow.

"And perhaps a public apology to Bill in the Great Hall at dinner tomorrow," Godric said, arms folded as he glowered at Helena.

"Excellent idea, Godric," Salazar said.

"And how shall you punish her, Bill?" Rowena asked, not realizing that she had referred to him by his first name twice already.

Bill looked thoughtful for one long minute before saying, "When I was thirteen, I made the stupid mistake of going somewhere that was forbidden and for a very good reason as well. I was unfortunate to run into a very dangerous evil wizard, who was about to murder me when someone I had never liked stopped him and gave me time to escape. That same person wrote my parents that night, informing them what I had done. I had never seen my father mad until then. My punishment was grounding, chores, and one hell of a spanking. Helena has already been given the first two, so I shall give her the third." With that, he marched over to the girl, dragged her toward a bench where he sat, before pulling her over his knees and spanking her. When he was done, he pushed her off of his lap, making her land butt-first on the floor.

Rowena stared down at her sister, who was sniveling pathetically despite the fact that he hadn't been striking her all that hard at all. "Get up off of the floor, Helena," she said. "Since mother and father died three years ago, it would seem that I have been too lax with you. No more. From now on you will be confined to my quarters; I will have your things moved up from your dormitory. You will not leave my rooms except for class, meals, and detention. If you wish to go to the library, you must ask me for permission. If you wish to get a snack from the kitchen, you must get permission. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

"Yes, Rowena," Helena said, pale as a ghost.

Rowena sighed, she didn't want to do this, but she must. "Furthermore, as it is clear that you are incapable of behaving like a lady when it comes to men, I shall be arranging your marriage to Baron Stark's eldest son."

"Not him!" Helena whined. "He's so pathetic! He's not good looking at all, and I don't know how he got into Salazar's House as he certainly isn't cunning or witty."

Salazar smirked. "There is more to him than you think, child," he said.

Helena shook her head. "Absolutely not. I refuse to marry him," she said.

"You don't have a choice in the matter," Rowena said. "You gave that up when you decided to give Bill Amortentia."

"I hate you!" Helena yelled, and made to storm out of the room in a fit of pique.

"You will be in your room when I make it back to my chambers or so help me, Helena, you _will _get another spanking!" Rowena said sharply.

Helena froze, her face flushed, then continued out the door.

"Thank you for summoning us here, Bill," Rowena said softly. "I would not have believed it of my sister had I not seen and heard her for myself."

"It was nothing," Bill said. "I wouldn't have known how to handle it by myself, and I thought it best that you see it for yourself for that very reason."

"If you would excuse me," Salazar said, "I have a student to punish still. Helga," he turned to the blonde, "would you do me the honor of aiding me?"

"Of course," Helga replied.

"I guess helping Salazar is now a euphemism for kissing," Bill said. "Just don't ask me for help, and I'll be happy."

Salazar arched a brow and smirked at him. "At least I have gained the courage to kiss the woman I love. Perhaps you should gather your own," he said, cutting his eyes toward Rowena with a knowing look.

Both Rowena and Bill looked towards each other, only to turn pink when their eyes met.

* * *

**Fifteen Points: Name one characteristic of Amortentia.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy and haven't had much time to write.**

* * *

It was nearly two months later, and still Bill and Rowena were dancing around each other. Hogwarts was preparing for a Christmas Ball. It was, of course, all Godric's idea. He was practically bouncing around the castle in excitement.

Salazar felt that a ball would be good advertisement, not that he used that terminology. He simply said that it would bring together people with the resources to be benefactors, people whose heirs, when the founders were dead or retired, could aid the Headmaster or Headmistress in running the school.

Helga was excited to meet new people, especially friends of Salazar's, as she was a friendly sort who hadn't an enemy, apart from Lord Malfoy. She was also not opposed to dancing. Indeed she found it was one of her favorite things to do, when she had the opportunity. She was bubbly and vivacious, everything Salazar was not. In fact, she and Godric were so alike in personalities that they were occasionally mistaken for siblings.

The final founder, Rowena, was neither for the idea nor against it. She enjoyed dancing as much as the next witch and had a few friends among the elite, but she was always a practical girl and was more excited by a new book. In her defense, books were rare and expensive in that time. She was quite jealous of the bookstores that Bill had told her of on the rare occasions they were speaking.

The castle was slowly coming alive from the near continuous use of magic within its walls. In less than fifty years the very land it sat on would begin to awaken, something that had not occurred since Avalon was built. One hundred years after that, the woods would awaken, dryads leaving their trees for the first time since the years of prosperity in Rome and Greece magical society. Sadly within a hundred years after that, they would return to their trees, fearing for their lives because of a corrupt Ministry led by the Dark Lord Melkor (an assumed name). It was this Dark Lord who sent his spies of evil werewolves, Black Dwarves (named for their magic, not their hair), and other like beings. It was the Goblins who stopped the Dark Lord from completely corrupting the Forbidden Forest, and it was they who built the high stone wall around the school, infusing it with their magic as they did.

The Ball spurred the magic forward, and the excitement of the guests as they arrived only added to it, and twisted the magic giving it shape and form. Several magical pockets were formed during this time, one such pocket in a guest bedroom on the seventh floor. It was the room of Aelia and Elric Bonham, a newlywed couple. It was a Bonham family secret that they were descendents of Arthur Pendragon's half-brother Agravaine, a very powerful wizard.

Another pocket of magic was centered in the Headmaster's office, this because of Godric's continuous attempts to woo Margaret, the girl who sewed all of the school uniforms. She was also teaching a sewing class for the girls. Most Lords would not have sent their daughters to school if they weren't going to be learning "the womanly arts", i.e. sewing, dancing, painting, weaving, and household management (learning how to order people around and sound as though you know what you are talking about). This magic was mainly caused by Godric's frustrated blasting curses that routinely destroyed the porcelain Nargle figurine his mother had insisted be placed in the office. The thing apparently had a permanent repairing charm on it though as it was always fixed as soon as the door to the office opened.

To properly understand the next part of the story, one must first understand the consequences of the Christmas Ball. It was not only a dance, but also tourneys, meetings of the magical Lords, feasts, hunts, and magical seminars (though not called that). Betrothals were arranged, not the least the one between Helena and Baron Stark's son. A surprise wedding occurred, three children were born, and many more conceived.

Bill was simply in awe to be a part of this. He had always enjoyed history, part of the reason he became the magical equivalent of an archeologist, but living history was something else entirely.

With so many people in the castle, one would have thought that Rowena and Bill would not often meet due to the crowds, but the truth was that both were so busy hosting that they spent most of their time bumping into one another in the corridors. With them still avoiding the issue of their attraction, it only made sense that the awkward silences grew worse with every meeting.

The night of the Christmas Ball was the night every relationship, romantic or otherwise, seemed to come to a head.

There were few teachers who did not have a significant other to escort them to the Ball, and Bill and Rowena were unfortunately two of the three there were. Rowena ultimately had to go to the Ball with Bill as her other option was Professor Miller who was as smelly as he was old, that is to say, very.

Bill paced nervously in the very room that Harry would eventually stand in following his name coming from the Goblet of Fire. Suddenly, with a swish of blue taffeta, Rowena entered the room. Her long dark brown hair was pinned up, and topped with a gorgeous silver and sapphire diadem. Bill's mouth suddenly felt dryer than the sands of Egypt, and the blood rushed to his face.

"Rowena," he said, using her given name for the first time, "You look lovely." He held out his hand for her to take.

"Thank you, Bill," she replied, flushing slightly.

With that, the door to the Great Hall swung open.

* * *

**50 Points: Bella Swan from the Twilight series also was in a movie with Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone. What was the name of the movie? Hint: It was a thriller/action movie.**


End file.
